Deuteronomy 10

1 At that time the Lord said to me, Hew for thyself two stone tables as the first, and come up to me into the mountain, and thou shalt make for thyself an ark of wood.

2 And thou shalt write upon the tables the words which were on the first tables which thou didst break, and thou shalt put them into the ark.

3 So I made an ark of boards of incorruptible wood, and I hewed tables of stone like the first, and I went up to the mountain, and the two tables were in my hand.

4 And he wrote upon the tables according to the first writing the ten commandments, which the Lord spoke to you in the mountain out of the midst of the fire, and the Lord gave them to me.

5 And I turned and came down from the mountain, and I put the tables into the ark which I had made; and there they were, as the Lord commanded me.

6 And the children of Israel departed from Beeroth of the sons of Jakim Misadai: there Aaron died, and there he was buried, and Eleazar his son was priest in his stead.

7 Thence they departed to Gadgad; and from Gadgad to Etebatha, a land torrents of water.

8 At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand near before the Lord, to minister and bless in his name to this day.

9 Therefore the Levites have no part nor inheritance among their brethren; the Lord himself their inheritance, as he said to them.

10 And I remained in the mount forty days and forty nights: and the Lord heard me at that time also, and the Lord would not destroy you.

11 And the Lord said to me, Go, set out before this people, and let them go in and inherit the land, which I sware to their fathers to give to them.

12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul;

13 to keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and his ordinances, all that I charge thee to-day, that it may be well with thee?

14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord thy God, the earth and all things that are in it.

15 Only the Lord chose your fathers to love them, and he chose out their seed after them, you, beyond all nations, as at this day.

16 Therefore ye shall circumcise the hardness of your heart, and ye shall not harden your neck.

17 For the Lord your God, he God of gods, and the Lord of lords, the great, and strong, and terrible God, who does not accept persons, nor will he by any means accept a bribe:

18 executing judgment for the stranger and orphan and widow, and he loves the stranger to give him food and raiment.

19 And ye shall love the stranger; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

20 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt cleave to him, and shalt swear by his name.

21 He thy boast, and he thy God, who has wrought in the midst of thee these great and glorious things, which thine eyes have seen.

22 With seventy souls your fathers went down into Egypt; but the Lord thy God has made thee as the stars of heaven in multitude.

Deuteronomy 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

God's mercies to Israel after their rebellion. (1-11) An exhortation to obedience. (12-22)

Verses 1-11 Moses reminded the Israelites of God's great mercy to them, notwithstanding their provocations. There were four things in and by which the Lord showed himself reconciled to Israel. God gave them his law. Thus God has intrusted us with Bibles, sabbaths, and sacraments, as tokens of his presence and favour. God led them forward toward Canaan. He appointed a standing ministry among them for holy things. And now, under the gospel, when the pouring forth of the Spirit is more plentiful and powerful, the succession is kept up by the Spirit's work on men's hearts, qualifying and making some willing for that work in every age. God accepted Moses as an advocate or intercessor for them, and therefore appointed him to be their prince and leader. Moses was a type of Christ, who ever lives, pleading for us, and has all power in heaven and in earth.

Verses 12-22 We are here taught our duty to God in our principles and our practices. We must fear the Lord our God. We must love him, and delight in communion with him. We must walk in the ways in which he has appointed us to walk. We must serve him with all our heart and soul. What we do in his service we must do cheerfully, and with good will. We must keep his commandments. There is true honour and pleasure in obedience. We must give honour to God; and to him we must cleave, as one we love and delight in, trust in, and from whom we have great expectations. We are here taught our duty to our neighbour. God's common gifts to mankind oblige us to honour all men. And those who have themselves been in distress, and have found mercy with God, should be ready to show kindness to those who are in the like distress. We are here taught our duty to ourselves. Circumcise your hearts. Cast away all corrupt affections and inclinations, which hinder you from fearing and loving God. By nature we do not love God. This is original sin, the source whence our wickedness proceeds; and the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be; so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God, Ro. 8:5-9 . Let us, without delay or reserve, come and cleave to our reconciled God in Jesus Christ, that we may love, serve, and obey him acceptably, and be daily changed into his image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord. Consider the greatness and glory of God; and his goodness and grace; these persuade us to our duty. Blessed Spirit! Oh for thy purifying, persevering, and renewing influences, that being called out of the state of strangers, such as our fathers were, we may be found among the number of the children of God, and that our lot may be among the saints.

Footnotes

• [a]. stood.
• [b]. and.
• [c]. wonder at or admire a face.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 10

In this chapter an account is given of an order to Moses to hew two tables of stone, on which the Lord would write the words that were on the first, and to make an ark and put them into it, all which was accordingly done, De 10:1-5 and of some of the journeys of the children of Israel, De 10:6,7 and of the separation of the tribe of Levi to the service of the sanctuary, De 10:8,9 and of Moses's stay in the mount forty days and nights, and his success there, and the direction he had to lead on the people of Israel towards Canaan's land, De 10:10,11 and who by various arguments are exhorted to fear the Lord, and serve him, and keep his commands, De 10:12-22.